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Pleurothallis pudica
Icones Costaricensis 1 & 2

Pleurothallis pudica

Pleurothallis pudica Pupulin, J.Aguilar & M.Díaz, Lankesteriana 17(2): 154. 2017.

Type: Costa Rica. San José: Pérez Zeledón, Paramo, Los Ángeles, along the road to San Gerardo de Dota, mountains to the north of Río División, on a line with the center Los Ángeles, 1700 m. 29 May 2014. A.P. Karremans, G. Meza & L. Oses 6249 (holotype, JBL; isotype, JBL; LCDP voucher).

Etymology: From the Latin pudicus, “chaste, modest, shamefaced”, in reference to the habit of turning the face of the flower toward the leaf, hiding it from the view of the observer.

Pleurothallis pudica is easily recognized among the species of the P. phyllocardia group by the pubescent-hirsute flowers reclinate over the leaf and non-resupinate. Besides this, the flowers of P. pudica can be distinguished from those of P. phyllocardia by the characteristic indumentum of the abaxial surface of the petals, the reflexed margins of the sepals, and the angulate-deflexed shape of the petals.